Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/204

 200 Southern Historical Society Papers.

Captain Fred C. Fisher, an excellent scholar and fine officer, who served until nearly the close of the war, since which, having inherited a considerable fortune in Germany, he removed to Ham- burg where he now resides, unmarried.

Captain Adolph Proskauer, promoted to Major. An interest- ing circumstance connected with Major Proskauer is that he was a German Jew, of excellent education, very handsome personal ap- pearance, and perhaps the best dressed man in the regiment. He became Senior Captain, and while we were encamped near Freder- icksburg in 1863, there being a vacancy in the position of Major of the regiment, he made formal application for promotion. Col. Pickens did not favor his appointment but preferred Capt. John W. McNeely, of Company F, who was an able young officer and former teacher at Tuskegee and at Auburn, Alabama, and who was thor- oughly equipped for the position of Major, and was second in rank.

In order to carry out his wishes the Colonel obtained the appoint- ment of an Examining Court of the most distinguished character, namely, Gen. Junius Daniel, Gen. S. D. Ramseur, both of N. C. brigades, and Col. E. L. Hobson of the 5th Ala. It was stated in camp that Col. Pickens hinted to this Committee of Examiners that he hoped they would be so rigid that Capt. Proskauer could not pass the examination.

During the day of the examination there was unusual interest felt by the officers of the camp, and especially by the Colonel. Late in the afternoon, after an all-day examination had been concluded, one of the officers rode rapidly up to Col. Pickens' headquarters and in reply to an anxious inquiry, was told that the committee had done all they could to defeat Capt. Proskauer, but that after an examina- tion squad drill, in company drill, in regimental drill, in brigade drill, in drill by echelon, and in the army movements as suggested in Jomini's tactics, Captain Proskauer did not fail to answer promptly and accurately every question. The General added, "he knows more about tactics than any of the Examining Committee, and we were forced to recommend his promotion."

I recall seeing this gallant officer at the battle of Gettysburg, calmly standing amid his regiment, smoking a cigar, issuing his orders and animating the men, until a bullet though his cheek disabled him, and he became a prisoner of war.

Major Proskauer was a prominent citizen of Mobile after the